OMBUDSMAN LECTURES STAFF OF THE SIERRA LEONE LIBRARY BOARD ON MAKING COMPLAINTS TO THE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN

In continuation of his sensitization drive, the Ombudsman Tejan Ahmed Israel Jah Esq has conducted a lecture on filing complaints to the Ombudsman and the method the Office uses in handling and investigating complaints from members of the public as well as Public sector workers.

The session which was held at the Board Room of the Library Board, saw the attendance of staff members from the other branches of library Board in the Western Area.

The Ombudsman told the staff that his Office was created by Section 146 subsection 2 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone Act No. 6 of 1991 and the Ombudsman's Act No. 2 of 1997 to look into the administrative actions of heads of MDAs and also to receive and investigate any complaints of maladministration of a Prescribed Authority. He stated that some of the reasons for the civil war in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report were rampant injustices and maladministration prevalent in the Civil / Public Service.

He further defined injustice to include hardship, detriment or grievance occasioned by any inequitable treatment whether legally imposed or otherwise. He further noted that maladministration includes bias, unfair discrimination, harshness or general high-handedness, misleading a member of the public as to his rights and using powers of an office for the wrong purpose.

He further noted that staff should not be only aware of their rights but also their responsibilities. He told the staff members that they should ensure that they are diligent in their duties and that they should ensure that they have exhausted their internal grievance redress mechanisms before making complaints to the office of the Ombudsman.

The staff members asked various questions ranging from attitude to work and methods of recruitment and the required period for promotion.

Communications Dept.
Office of the Ombudsman
076-945-926